Land protected by the accredited Land Conservancy of New Jersey. Photo by DJ Glisson II/Firefly Imageworks.
Lottery for 2026 first-time applicants
The accreditation seal is a mark of distinction in land conservation. It is awarded to land trusts meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence. Each accredited land trust completes a rigorous review process and joins a network of organizations united by strong practices.
The lottery for a spot to apply for first-time accreditation in 2026 will open July 28 and close September 10. In 2026, there will be one round for up to 8 first-time applicants with a pre-application due date of January 8, 2026 and an application due date of April 30, 2026. Any land trusts not selected through the lottery to apply in 2026 will be assigned to be a 2027 applicant.
Before your land trust enters the lottery:
Review land trust eligibility and first-time information.
Review what information is needed at the time of registration — including special messages for mitigation land trusts and land trusts who engaged in past tax shelter transactions.
The Commission reviews about 100 applications for accreditation each year, which provides us a unique view about trends in the land trust community. In upcoming editions of the Commission's e-Newsletter, we'll explore how you can learn from others and avoid risk to your land trust.
Trend
Land trusts are managing more conservation easement violations and more complex ones. Violators increasingly are the original conservation easement grantors, not just next generation owners. While violations can take time to address, an accredited land trust must take timely action and document that the actions taken are consistent with the conservation values and restrictions and do not result in impermissible private benefit or private inurement.
Lesson: Document, document, document!
Keep track of violations and how they are being addressed. The accreditation pre-application requires a summary report of violations over the accredited term.
Thoroughly document every aspect of a violation and actions taken. The accreditation application requires evidence of how the violation was discovered, documented, and reviewed, along with how it was or is being resolved.
Communicate with landowners in writing, as verbal notices can be misunderstood or misinterpreted and lead to future complications.
If a monitoring report notes an item later found not to be an issue (e.g., a shed that does not cross the property line), close the loop by creating a memo to file or a note in the monitoring report database. Providing that evidence at the time of application can help avoid you being asked to do so during the application review process.
If your land trust is a member of Terrafirma Risk Retention Group LLC, file a placeholder claim at the first sign there may be an issue.
Last month, the Commission announced some key changes to its application decisions, appeals, compliance confirmation, and disciplinary action policies. While most land trusts will not experience any change, the updates include some clarifications that are important to be aware of.
Land Trust Alliance 1250 H St. NW, Suite 600 Washington, District of Columbia, 20005, United States
The mission of the Land Trust Accreditation Commission is to inspire excellence, promote public trust and ensure permanence in the conservation of open lands by recognizing land trust organizations that meet rigorous quality standards and that strive for continuous improvement.
Land Trust Accreditation Commission, 36 Phila St, Suite 2, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
